Film-holder



N. E LUBOSHEZ.

FILM HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25.1920.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

INVENTOR lmmzzwm WITNESSES:

. UNITED states P ENT OFFICE.

NAHUM E. LUBOSHEZ, or LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR To EASTMAN KoDAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION on E YORK FILM-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed June 25, 1920. Serial No. 391,852.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, NAHUM E. LUnosHnz, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film-Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates'to frames for supporting films during fiuid treatment and drying.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive film holder which will accomplish simultaneously three resultsfirst will support substantially the entire marginal portion of the film on both sides thereof, secondly will so limit the sliding movements of the film that it cannot slip out and away from its marginal supports and thirdly will allow the film to expand and contract without co-nstraint whereby the film is held in position even when wet and limp and does not seriously buckle. Another object is to provide a holder of this character which is easy to load even in the reduced light of a dark room and without any special loading block. Still another object is to provide a film holder from which the liquids drain readily and in which the film may be dried rapidly and uniformly without sticking. A further object is to provide a holder which will be especially suitable for supporting films but will, without alteration, support plates if desired. Another object is to provide holders that may be placed close together in the treating bath, thereby permitting a larger number of films to be treated in a given volume of liquid, without interfering with each other and without the films in adjacent holders sticking together or otherwise impairing the fluid treatment of each other.

A still further object is to provide holders that may be suspended vertically in the tanks now in use. Other objects will here inafter appear.

In recent years cut films, comprising fiexible sheets of cellulosic compositions coated with a sensitive 'gelatino-silver haloid emulsion on one face and with a gelatin layer on the other face, have come into extensive use, particularly in studios and in commercial work. These films are commonly of considerable size, say cabinet, 5X7 inches, and upward. In establishments where hundreds of these films must be developed, fixed, washed, dried or otherwise treated, it is very important that means for quickly, safely, and economically handling them be available.

The system most widely in use at the present time for manipulating the films includes skeleton frames with spring clips at the corners for positively gripping the film, the latter being guided into the clips by means of a special loading block. The loaded frames are suspended in parallel vertical positions 111 tanks containing the photographic baths. Finally they are hung up to dry with the films still in them. lVhile this system is a useful one, I have found that it may be much improved by the use of the novel hangers which form the subject of my invention.

Whenever the gelatinous coatings of the film become wet, expansive forces are set up which cause the film to buckle consider ably if it be positively gripped and constrained against expansion in its own plane. Such buckling prevents the loaded frames from being placed as closely together in the tanks as desired, for if one buckled film touches its neighbor, one or both of them are liable to be unequally treated and ruined, But spacing the frames in the racks at a safe distance limits the number of films that can be treated at one time in a given volume of liquid;

1 have found that buckling of the film when wetted or when drying may be prevented by freely supporting it without positively gripping it. This enables the filmholding frames to be placed without injury to the film in contact or very close together. whereby the maximum amount of film may be treated in a minimum volume of liquid. Since there are no projecting clasps at the bottom of my frame, danger of scratching adjacent films thereby, when the frames are removed, is eliminated. I have further found that this free supporting of the film will not materially lessen the security with which the same is retained in the holder if such support be effected throughout substantially the entire margin of the film on both sides thereof and if the movement of the film in its own plane be so limited that no part of its margin can slip out of the supports, while the expansion during wetting can still freely take place. The film,

even when wet, has enough stiffness to stay in the frame if such supporting and limitin be done. By supporting the margins on y, no part of the frame can contact'with the main picture area of the film elther on the front or back. This gives free access of the liquid to both faces of the film and prevents the undesirable markings which often occur if the picture part of the film rests against the frame.

If these advantages had been gained at the expense of others, the improvement might have been unsatisfactory, but my frame for freely supporting and retaining the film fortunately has been foundto have the other essential qualifications in actual use. The film loads into the free supports easier and quicker than into gripping devices, even in a darkroom and without a special loading block. It might have been expected that the wet gelatin of the film would have become stuck to the frames during drying. I find, however, that this rarely occurs and believe that the contracting of the film during drying causes its margins to slightly creep and prevent adhesionito the free supports, where as no such creep can occur in the case of gripping devices. Liquid which might be retained by capillarity between such supports is found to be easily removable by draining openings so that the margins dry almost as quickly as the center of the film. By properly arranging the free supports, the frame can take plates if desired, permit ting the use of .a single equipment for both kinds of sensitive material. I have found that the outside dimensions of the frame for a given size of film in spite of the free supporting feature, may still be kept within the required limit to permit the frame to be suspended by gravity in the tanks now in use.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frame embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the way in which the film is loaded into the frame;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the film after it is secured in the frame;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of my invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views on a reduced scale illustrating diagrammatically how the film is retained when disposed in various positions.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which are illustrative of the preferred embodiment of my invention, the film is inclosed along its edges by four channel members. The two vertical side members are 1 and 2, while the lower and upper horizontal members are 3 and 4. The .members 1, 2, 3, and 4 have inwardly extending spaced flanges ill-12, 21-22, 3132, 41-42. The upper member 4 i supported on a tran verse rod 44, the

ends of which are bent down and fastened to the outer sides of the flanges 12 and 22, as indicated at 45 in Figs. 2 and 3. The member 4 has a tubular portion 43 which is bent around into frictional engagement with the rod 44. The friction in the pivot thus formed by rod 44 and tube 43 is suflicient to hold the member 4 in the opened position of Fig. 2 or the closed position of Fig. 3.

The upper portions of the flanges 11 and 21 are cut away above the points 13 and 23 which are at or slightly below the ends of the member 4. The lower ends of the members 1 and 2 are spaced slightly above the bottom of member 3 so as to leave draining openings 15 and 25. The members 1, 2, and 3 are provided with perforations 14, 24, and 34 to permit of the ready exit of the liquids which might otherwise be held by capillary attraction between the flanges and the edges of the film. The members 1 and 2 extend above the member 4 and are joined at their upper ends by a transverse horizontal member 5 attached to them at 51 and 52. The ends of 5 project beyond the members 1 and 2 so as to form points of suspension by engaging the edges of the tank. Being located above the center of gravity of the frame, the latter hangs substantially vertical.

The method of loading is indicated in Fig. 2. Member 4 is turned backward about rod 44 to a'position in which its flange 41 is entirely outside the general plane of the frame,that is the general plane defined on the members 1, 2, and 3. Since the upper portions of flanges 1.1 and 21 are cut away, the entering edge of the film is readily abutted against flanges 12 and 22 and slid downwardly into the retaining spaces between flanges 1112, 21'22, and 3132. After the film is slid downwardly into position the member 4 is turned to the position of Fig. 3 in which it lies substantially within the plane of the other members 1, 2, and 3. In this loaded position substantially the entire upper edge of the film is supported on both sides between the flanges 41 and 42, while the other edges of the film are supported on both sides between the flanges 1112,2122, and 3132. The film is prevented from sliding in its own plane far enough to disen gage any of its edges, by means of the outer or middle walls of the channel members 1, 2, 3, and 4. The apparatus is designed for a standard size of film and the bases or middle walls of the members are so spaced apart that the film may expand when it is wet without being confined enough. to seriously buckle. The flanges 1112, 2122, 31-32, and 41-42 are spaced apart sufiiciently to support or retain the edges of the film without positively gripping the latter. vThe space between them may be just barely greater than the thickness of the film or,

as shown in the drawing, the space may be great enough so as to receive a glass plate therein if desired. In actual use the film is found to reliably be retained even when the dimensions are such as'to admit plates. The width of the flanges 11-12, 21-22, 31-32,

and 41-42 is always greater than the clearance between the edges of the film and the bases or middle walls of the members 1, 2, 3,

and 4. For example, in Fig. 3 the space between the-upper edge'lof the film 6 and the .inner face of the horizontal middle wall of member 4 may be one-sixteenth of an inch to allow for film expansion, while the flanges 41. and 42 will be larger than this, say onequarter of an inch. Of course, similar reasoning applies to thepther members. ThlS structfire, as will be evident from the drawing, leaves the entire gentral portion of the .film open for the treatment thereof by liquids clear out to the :margins. Since there is no part of the frame inside of its peripheral portions, there is'no projection to in- 'juriously engage either. face of the film preferred way. It can, for example, be I held vertically by means of grooves in the tank walls. Its flanges and walls function, like the similar parts of the preferred holder in Fig. 1, to support substantially the entire marginal portion of the film on both sides thereof while limiting the sliding movements of the film so that it cannot slip out and away from. the sup orting flanges and also allowing the film to expand and contract without constraint.

Figs. 5 and 6 show that the channel 'members function properly in supporting and retaining the film even when the latter lies in an inclined or slightly bent position. When the member 4 ,of my. frame, or its equivalent, is not in its holding position, as, for example, in Fig. 2, the limp film 6 bends under the force of gravityor of liquid currents in the bath so as to buckle its upper edge outwardly. This draws the side edges of film 6 out of the flanges of the vertical members 1, .2, and eventuallythe whole slip pery film escapes from the frame. Furthermore, when member 4' is out of holding position, as in Fig. 2, the film 6 ma not be restrained in its movement sufficiently to prevent the escape of the opposite edge from its supporting-flanges. Thus the operator may lower the frame rapidly into the liquid, causing the film, if not restrained by my member 4, to rise up sufiiciently to bring. -its lower edge out of the flanges of the lower member 3. This lower edge can then buckle outwardly, thereby withdrawing .the lower parts of the side margins of the film from the flanges of the side members 1, 2, thus leading to an eventual loss of the film from the frame when the member 4 is, however in the position shown in Fig. 3, such loss does' not take place.

The openings 15, 25, 14, 24,and 34 allow the liquid to drain out sufficiently rapidly,

in spite of capillarity, so that the edges of the film between the flanges of the frame dry practically' as rapidly as the rest of the film. Of course, the draining away of the liquid is more easily done in the preferred embodiment of my invention wherein the flanges are spaded apart a distance considerably greater than the thickness of the film. The creepingi or other action, which. takes place as the .film dries greatly minimizes any'tendencyi of the gelatinous coatings of the film to stick to the flanges of the frame. The sides of the frame are substantially free from any projecting handles such as ,are

1 present when claspsare used .and consequently danger of scratching is removed when one frame is slid into or out of the tank in close proximity with anotherloaded frame. If there is any contact between the frames the ends of member 3 slide up.- wardly along'the smooth faces of the members 1 and 2 of the next adjacent frame.

During loading the operator, when he is in the dark if necessary merel by the sense of touch, the bending back 0 member 4 to the position of Fig. 2 and the locating of the entering edge of the film on'the upper portions of flanges 12 and 22 being'readily eflected without close inspection and without the use of any special loading block or guide' While the film may be loaded into. the frame with its sensitive surface in either direction, it is preferable to-move it with' velopment, the sensitive face being entirely.

free from contact with the frame during loading, except, of course, at the extrememargins. v

The frame may be of any suitable material which will-resist the baths in which it is immersed. In practice a -'non-corrodible metal answers satisfactorily by wayiof illustration. While I have illustratedthe movable member 4 asbeing'at the upper horizontal part of the frame it might, of course, be located at any one of the other three sides, the loading being then effected at such 51 e. c

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: s I

used to the frame, can position the filmeven supporting the entire margin of the film on gin from any part of said .first named sup-- 1. A frame for holding film during fluid treatment and drylng, said frame being open at both faces out to the peripheral portion thereof to permit access of fluid to both faces of the film, and said frame comprising means extending along substantially the entire peripheral portion thereof for freely both sides thereof and means for sufficiently limiting the movement of the film in every direction to prevent removal of the film marprising inwardly projecting spaced members for freely supporting the perlphery of the film extending along substantially the entire sides of said frame, said members on one side being movable relative to those on the other sides to permit passage of the film between the members on said other sides.

at. A rectangular open frame for holding films during fluid treatment and drying comprising inwardly facing channel members extending substantially along all four sides, one of said members being movable out of the plane of the other three sides to permit the passage of the film into the channels of the other members and movable into the plane of said other members to bring an edge of the film into its-own channel. s 5. A frame as defined in claim, in which the bases of the channel members are perforated at frequent intervals to permit the watento drain off from the channels. I

. 6.- A rectangular open film-holding frame, each member of which has an inwardly facing groove extending substantially throughout its length, the walls of said grooves freely supporting the edges of the film, and one .of said members being mounted to swing first out of alinement with the grooves in the other members permitting the film to slidesage of the film into the supporting) recessetherein and to swing secondly into alinement with the grooves in said other members with the walls of its own groove on opposite sides of the edge of thefilm.

7. A rectangular open frame as set forth in claim 6, in which the swinging member is mounted for retention at the ends of its swingin movement.

8. A 'lm holder for use in tanks comprising a frame entirely open out to the periph eral portion thereof, said peripheral portion including devices for freely supporting and retaining therein substantially the entire margins of the film on both sides, and suspension means for said frame located above the center ofgravity of the frame to permit.

the latter to hang in a substantially vertical position in the tank.

9. A film holder comprising a top suspen-' sion bar, two spaced vertical members attached to said suspension bar, a bottom bar joining the lower ends of said members, and a crossbar extending from one member to the other intermediate the ends thereof, said bottom bar, said crossbar and the parts of said members between said bottom and crossbars having inwardly extending spaced means for freely supportin substantially the entire periphery of the 10. A film holder as defined in claim 9, the intermediate bar being first movable relative to the members to permit the pasmeans on the members and on the bottom ar and then movable to embrace the upper edge of the film within its own supporting means.

11. Afilm holder comprising a top suspendsion bar, two spaced inwardly facing channel members attached -to said bar at channels thereof and between said suspensionbar and saidbottom bar, and an intermediate channel piece facing toward said bottom bar and swinging on said rod, one

flange of each of said channel members being cut away between the point of attachment. of said rod and the suspension rod.

Si ned at London, England, this 31st day oflfiay, 1920.

rmiam n. inn Bosses. 

